Calluna Events combines unique, creative and fresh ideas with amazing organizational skills and an exceptional attention to detail to create your perfect wedding or event. We’ve established an extensive network of venues and professional vendors to fit every style and budget. We offer innovative full service planning, wedding day coordination & hourly consulting.

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Calluna Events is excited to be doing a series of Vendor Spotlights on the blog....so stay tuned as some great vendors give us a glimpse into what makes their company tick.

First up on the list is The Paper Guppy. Maura, owner and founder of the company, has over 8 years of extensive graphic design background with a concentration in print. She graduated from Syracuse University, Newhouse School of Communications with a bachelor's degree in visual communications. Below is her interview with Calluna Events:

1. Name of business:The Paper Guppy2. Years in business:63. Location:Denver, Colorado

4. Most memorable project:Hmm. Tough choice. I would have to say Sydney and Chad (silk bound book cover with ribbon belly band woven through to hold the enclosures). It was unlike anything that I've ever done and I loved the challenge. Sydney also had a great appreciation for the materials we used so I was able to work with some of the finest paper, ribbon and book cloth available. 5. I love it when a bride and groom are...creative and unique. Since I design custom invitations, I like when clients come up with something new and different as opposed to picking an invitation from my portfolio and modifying it to fit their needs.

6. Favorite part of designing invitations is...Weddings now, more than ever, are completely tailored to each couple. So, I get to work on so many unique themes every year. Before designing wedding invitations, I was a corporate graphic designer and eventually it just felt like I was doing the same thing every day. With custom wedding invitations the designs are endless, one day I'll be working on a fly fishing theme and the next day will be lavender and honey bees.

7. Our favorite kind of bride is...I'll have to cheat and use a duplicate answer - creative and unique!8. What sets us apart from other stationers is...I have a degree in graphic design and I typically do all of my own illustrations - so I'm not just limited to what's available in clip art. I also like to work with couples from start to finish on all of their stationery. So, once we have a design in place I will carry it through to all of the other printed pieces (programs, menus, thank you notes, welcome basket items etc.) I want every couple that I work with to have materials that match throughout so if they'd like me to lay something out that they will print themselves or whip up a quick graphic for a custom water bottle that they are getting - I'm more than happy to do it.

9. Trends we are seeing for 2010 are...Definitely invitation packages that are coordinated but not necessarily matched exactly all the way through. Maybe it's the use of different color card stock for the envelope or an enclosure, or perhaps a custom envelope liner with the couple's names, or even vintage postcards with rubber stamped text instead of reply cards. A little bit of whimsy to break up the traditional.10. One tip for invitations on a budget is...Oh, I have a few, but definitely mixed printing -- offset/flat printed invitation envelope and response envelope with a letterpress printed invitation an response card. And belly bands to wrap around the invitation and the enclosures to keep everything together instead of expensive folders.

11. Anything else you want people to know about The Paper Guppy? I love what I do. :) I listen to every couple's story and vision for their wedding day and then I bring in even the smallest detail so that they truly have an invitation 'set.'

To find out more about Maura and The Paper Guppy, please visit their website!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Pammy Rosen, a freelance writer for My Jewelry Box, a North American online jewelry store, was recently kind enough to contribute a guest blog. Below she gives all you brides-to-be a few tips on how to choose the perfect wedding band for your engagement ring!

"He proposed, and you have a beautiful and sparkling engagement ring! While you are busy planning the details of your upcoming wedding, don't forget to make plenty of time to choose the perfect wedding band to compliment your engagement ring, so that you'll have a wedding set you love for a lifetime!

First, take another close look at your engagement ring. What does the band look like? Is it smooth or does it have inset stones? Is it thick or delicate, and what karat is the gold? Traditionally, a wedding band matches the band of your engagement ring, so that you have a classic matching set of gold rings but the options are up to you, and you have the freedom to make your wedding set as unique and stunning as you wish.Now think about what you think would be the perfect compliment to your engagement ring. The wedding band is worn closest to the hand, and the engagement ring belongs on top of it. Historically, the wedding band was more important and valuable than the engagement ring, and was worn first so that the engagement ring would protect the wedding band. While this is not the case many times in modern ring value, you still typically wear your rings in this order. If you like a lot of shimmery diamonds, consider a band inlaid with small stones. If you like a sleeker look, a plain band of the same color and karat of gold is a classy option.

A great look for your wedding set is a wedding band and engagement ring band of the same width. A band much thicker or thinner than the band of your engagement ring could distract from the set as a whole and draw attention too much to one or the other. It will also benefit you to choose the same karat of gold for both, so that the wear and maintenance of both are the same and they will age in the same manner.

What makes a wedding set truly unique is your personal pairing of engagement ring and wedding band. Find something that speaks to you. So, whether you like glitzy diamonds or smooth, shiny bands with a dazzling solitaire, take these tips with you and choose a wedding band that will make your set perfect for you -- just like the man with whom you've chosen to spend the rest of your life!"